Penn State football: The season, thus far, in 12 joyful parts

The Penn State football team has had their ups and downs over the course of their 2013 campaign. Nevertheless, there have been many moments of joy and a spirit of hopefulness throughout the first ten of the Nittany Lions' twelve games.

So without further ado, here is the Penn State football season in a dozen parts.

Penn State running back Zach Zwinak (28) leaps over offensive tackle Donovan Smith during the first quarter of the Nov. 16 game against Purdue at Beaver Stadium.Joe Hermitt, PennLive.com

12: When Zach Zwinak has the ball, it sometimes seems as though he’s impossible to stop. Even with multiple defenders pulling him down, Zwinak will power forward, extending plays for extra yardage even when he’s surrounded by a sea of opposing jerseys. Zwinak’s tenacity has resulted in 12 touchdowns so far this season, more than all the other Lions combined who have run into the end zone. Those 12 that he’s accumulated also fall just short of the 14 total passing touchdowns racked up by the team. Zwinak has proven to be a valuable asset in the open field and the red zone for Penn State, and those contributions could be key as the season closes.

11: One theme of coach Bill O’Brien’s short tenure has been advancing to the “Next Level.” The 11 players who’ve taken the field at any given time this year have struggled at times this season and suffered especially tough losses to Indiana and Minnesota, but they’ve held on to potentially finish 8-4 or, at the very least, avoid a losing record. (The Lions haven’t dipped under .500 since 2004). The team has fared as well as could be expected, or perhaps even better, despite the NCAA’s sanctions, which have depleted the talent pool from which the team has to draw. Also, as another nod to the “Next Level” theme, Matt McGloin (the former holder of the No. 11 jersey) stepped up to the starting quarterback role for the Oakland Raiders with an injured Terrelle Pryor on the bench and threw three touchdowns with no interceptions.

10. On 10/12/2013, an undefeated Michigan team traveled to Beaver Stadium for a nighttime showdown, and what transpired on the field is now one of the Big 10’s greatest games. A true freshman quarterback led the Nittany Lions on a five-play, 80-yard drive in 23 seconds to tie the game. As if that wasn’t enough, Penn State outlasted the Wolverines through four overtimes to earn an emotional win as Bill Belton scampered into the end zone. It was a moment that won’t soon be forgotten.

9. Next season, the Big Ten welcomes Rutgers and Maryland to the conference. And Penn State will face both. On 9/20/2014, the Lions will play at Rutgers for the first time since a game in East Rutherford in 1955. Joe Paterno had been as assistant coach at Penn State for five years at that point. To provide more perspective, 1955 is also the year Disneyland opened in California and McDonald’s was created. The Lions will strive to repeat history on the field, as they won that 1955 game 59-34.

8. The man who wears No. 8 on his jersey has been stellar for Penn State this year and has averaged more than 100 yards a game. Allen Robinson has been Christian Hackenberg’s favorite target this season, and for good reason. The pair have connected for several huge gains, six touchdowns and more than 1,200 yards so far.

7: Robinson is one of the Lions’ biggest offensive weapons, but what happens when he graduates? The answer may lie in Geno Lewis, who wears No. 7. His potential to succeed Robinson as a favorite pass target was evident during the Syracuse game when he caught a 54-yard touchdown pass, not unlike the bombs Robinson often hauled in this year. The pass contributed in a big way to his season totals of 14 passes for 134 yards, despite the fact that Lewis played in only four games since that opener in New Jersey. It’ll be exciting to watch the redshirt freshman’s development in the coming seasons.

6: Penn State’s six wins so far this season are tough to swallow, especially considering losses to Central Florida, Indiana and Minnesota that tradition dictates should have been victories. The Nittany Lions can match last season’s record and finish a respectable 8-4 by winning their final two games, but it’ll be a challenge defeating Nebraska and Wisconsin considering the struggles the team has had.

5: During Saturday’s Senior Day celebration, Linebacker U will honor a solid outgoing player in Glenn Carson. Among those coming up to take his place, though, is Nyeem Wartman, who wears the No. 5 jersey. Wartman has 29 tackles so far through the seven games he’s started this season, and with more playing time likely for Penn State’s last two games, he’ll be a player to watch heading into 2014.

4: Penn State struggled mightily with third-down conversions early in the season. Through the first seven games, the Lions were 33 for 106, or a meager 31 percent. However, since then, they’ve greatly improved their third-down conversion rate to 19 for 39, or nearly 49 percent. While most of that improvement is due to one game (against Purdue, when Penn State only failed on two of its 12 third-down attempts), the efficiency increase is enough to lift the Lions to fourth in the Big Ten in third-down conversions.

3: Although Hackenberg is a true freshman, he has shown talent beyond his years. He’s made mistakes -- overthrown balls, turnovers -- but overall, his first season at the helm has been encouraging and bodes well for his future development. Penn State currently ranks third in the Big Ten in both passing offense, trailing Indiana and Illinois, and pass efficiency, behind Nebraska and Ohio State. It’ll be fun to watch Hackenberg’s development and see just how good he is by the time he’s a senior.

2: Penn State is halfway there -- after two more seasons, the team can once again compete in a postseason game and will get all of its scholarships back. The NCAA’s restoration of some of the scholarships is promising and could indicate that the postseason ban will be lifted sooner than expected. Until then, however, the Lions will continue their quest to do more with less while competing on the field and recruiting. At least there’s the game next year against Indiana in Ireland, which isn’t a bad consolation prize for bowl-less players and fans.

1: Aug. 31 feels like it was only yesterday, but it’s now mid-November. The days are getting shorter, snow is on the horizon and Penn State has only one home game left. The Lions will celebrate the seniors who’ve helped make a difference this season, such as Glenn Carson and Brandon Felder. It’s not time to get comfortable, though -- the Lions will face a redshirt freshman-led Nebraska offense that’s looking to rebound from a loss against Michigan State this past Saturday. The Lions are a slim favorite but have a lot of work to do to make that result a reality. That game is followed by currently No. 19-ranked Wisconsin. Closing out the season a high note is essential to carry momentum and confidence into 2014.